Communiqué : 319th Ministerial meeting of the Peace and Security Council on the situation in Guinea-Bissau Ref:PSC/MIN/COMM/1.(CCCXIX)

AFRICAN UNION

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, P.O. Box: 3243 Tel.: (251-11) 5513 822 Fax: (251-11) 5519 321
Email: situationroom@africa-union.org

PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL 319™ MEETING AT MINISTERIAL LEVEL

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

24 April 2012

PSC/MIN/COMM/1. (CCCXIX)

COMMUNIQUE

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COMMUNIQUE

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 319^th meeting held at ministerial level, on 24 April 2012, adopted the following decision on the situation in Guinea- Bissau:

Council,

1. Takes note of the paragraphs on Guinea Bissau, as contained in the report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the situation in Guinea-Bissau, Mali and the situation between Sudan and South Sudan [PSC/MIN/3 (CCCXIV)]. Council also takes note of the statements made by Cote d'Ivoire, in its capacity as the Chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the ECOWAS Commission and Angola, in its capacity as the Chair of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), as well as by other AU bilateral and multilateral partners;

2. Reaffirms the provisions on unconstitutional changes of Government contained in the AU Constitutive Act, the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council and Chapter VIII of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, as well as the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance Supplementary to the Protocol relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security;

3. Endorses the press statements issued by the Chairperson of the Commission on the situation in Guinea-Bissau on 13, 14 and 19 April 2012, and commends him for his efforts. Council recalls and reaffirms the terms of communique PSC/PR/COMM (CCCXVIII) adopted on the occasion of its 318^th meeting held on 17 April 2012;

4. Reaffirms the principles of subsidiarity and, in this respect, endorses the decisions of ECOWAS, in particular the deployment of a stabilization mission, welcomes the commitment and dynamism of ECOWAS in dealing with the crisis in Guinea Bissau, and expresses its support to the mediation conducted by the Republic of Guinea. Council expresses appreciation to the CPLP, for its principled position on the situation, to the UN Secretary-General and Security Council, welcoming the latter's statement to the press and presidential statement of 13 and 21 April 2012, respectively, as well as to the European Union (EU). Council further welcomes the position adopted by the OIF and its decision to suspend the participation of Guinea Bissau in its activities until the restoration of constitutional order;

5. Reiterates its strong condemnation of the coup d'etat perpetrated on 12 April 2012, with the specific intent to stop the electoral process underway, with the non-organization of the second round of the presidential election on 29 April 2012, and totally rejects "the Protocol on the establishment and management of the constitutional and democratic order", which created the so-called "Transitional National Council", signed on 18 April 2012, between the

Military Command" and political parties of the minority parliamentary opposition. Council notes that this Protocol' is a vain and unacceptable attempt to legitimize the coup d'etat;

6. Reiterates the concern of the AU about the recurrence of illegal and unacceptable interference of the army in the political life of Guinea Bissau, which hinders all efforts to stabilize the country, fight against impunity and drug trafficking, and promote socio-economic development. Council stresses the duty of Africa, through the AU and ECOWAS, with the support of the UN, the CPLP and other members of the international community, to ensure that the coup d etat of 12 April 2012 fails and put an end to the destabilizing actions of the army in Guinea-Bissau;

7. Reiterates the demand for the restoration, without further delay, of constitutional order, and completion of the electoral process that began with the first round of the presidential election held on 18 March 2012, which was deemed to be credible, free and fair by all international observer missions, including those of the AU and ECOWAS. Council also reiterates its demand for the immediate and unconditional release of the Acting President of the Republic, Raimundo Pereira, Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior, and other political personalities sequestrated by the military and respect for their dignity and physical integrity;

8. Requests the Commission, in view of the refusal of the coup perpetrators to respond positively to the calls from the AU, ECOWAS, the CPLP and the UN Security Council and other members of the international community, for the restoration of constitutional order, to compile and disseminate to all Member States, after appropriate consultations, the list of the members of the military junta and their military and civilian supporters, for application of the individual measures mentioned in paragraph 6 of communique PSC/PR/COMM (CCCXVIII). Council calls on all Member States to fully implement these sanctions. Council further requests the Commission to expedite, in consultation with ECOWAS, the finalization of its proposals on additional sanctions to be imposed on members of the junta and their military and civilian supporters;

9. Requests the UN Security Council, pursuant to the relevant paragraph of its presidential statement of 21 April 2012, to support these sanctions. Council also urges the European Union, the CPLP, OIF and OIC and other bilateral and multilateral partners to support the measures taken by ECOWAS and the AU;

10. Requests the Chairperson of the Commission to urgently convene, in the context of a Multilateral Consultation and Coordination Framework on the Stabilization of Guinea Bissau, a meeting that will bring together all stakeholders, in particular ECOWAS, the CPLP, the United Nations and the EU, to develop a comprehensive strategy, with a view to facilitating a speedy and lasting solution. Council stresses that this strategy should have, as its priority objective, the restoration of constitutional order in Guinea Bissau, as soon as possible, by using all appropriate means, and would notably cover the defense and security sector reform, the deployment of a stabilization mission to continue the work undertaken as part of the ECOWAS- CPLP Roadmap, the fight against drug trafficking and impunity, and other related aspects,

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including the development of the country. Council expresses its intention to consider this strategy as quickly as possible for endorsement, before submission to the UN Security Council and to other multilateral partners concerned so as to mobilize the necessary support and facilitate its effective implementation;

11. Requests the Chairperson of the Commission to transmit this decision to the UN Security Council and other AU partners and to keep it regularly informed of the progress made in its implementation;

12. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

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